Harry Potter and the Fifth Champion
by littlemissrebellion
Summary: Hogwarts is playing host to the Triwizard Tournament, but there's a twist. A fourth school is entering! Where is this school from and why hasn't anyone ever heard of it? Please read and review
1. The Big Quidditch Match

It was impossible to sleep that night. How could anyone sleep when the big Quidditch World Cup Finals were the next day? Isabella Scott and her best friend, Bridgette Welch were beyond excited. They were going because of their recent major accomplishments. Bridgette has made the highest scores ever on the O.W.L. exams. Isabella was a fairly famous Beater who had recently begun to gain international fame for her skills. Both girls has attended the Academy of Fine Magic for four years. In the winter time of their fourth year, the school was destroyed in a tragic fire. Nobody knew exactly how it had started. Only seven people made it out alive.

Bridgette and Isabella were suddenly left without a school. They couldn't just transfer to another school in the nearby area. Unbeknownst to the normal world, there is a hidden world. Witches and wizards look the same as non-magical folks, often called Muggles. In New York, there was only one Wizarding School and now it was gone. It was better to have the girls in a regular school for magic, rather than have Marigold, Isabella's mother, teach them in private. So, Patrick Scott, Isabella's father and the American Minister of Magic, called upon an old friend, Albus Dumbledore. He happened to be the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in England. Both girls were immediately accepted and sorted into their house. The Sorting Hat sat on Isabella's head and immediately proclaimed that she was a Slytherin. Bridgette's Sorting took much longer. The hat rested on her head, thinking and occasionally muttering to itself. "She'd do well in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. This young lady has a clever mind and she is very ambitious. Sometimes, however, ambition isn't such a good thing. It can make a person blind. They will do anything to achieve their goal. You want to join the Ministry of Magic once your education is completed. But you hope to become the Minister of Magic. Power and ambition together are a dangerous tool," the Hat warned. For seven more minutes, the Hat was silent before announcing that Bridgette would be placed in the Slytherin house.

Early in the morning, Isabella awoke to the sound of pitiful whimpering. Her blanket was on the floor, writhing about. "Oh, Merlin, you dumb thing, you know your too little to do that," she groaned, pulling the covers back onto her bed. Bridgette smiled as a small gray creature emerged. Most normal sixteen year olds have a dog or cat as a pet, but not Isabella Scott. She was the proud owner of a Smooth Skinned Bulgarian Ridgeback, named Merlin, who was the size of a regular cat. Merlin happened to be a dragon. He didn't have scales, rather, smooth skin and a short tail with small wings.

"Girls, it's time to wake up! You're leaving in an hour!" a voice with a soft English accent shouted. It was Marigold. She was originally from Liverpool, England. The two young witches got out of their beds and stretched. It was early in the morning, almost too early to be awake. Bridgette waved her wand and her messy bed became neat. Since they had been told to dress as Muggles, they chose to wear jeans and t-shirts. Isabella pulled her long black hair back into a braid while Bridgette put her shoulder length brown hair into a ponytail. There was another thing Isabella was known for, her heritage. She was a direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor and like her father, had onyx black hair with violet eyes. Bridgette had no famous blood in her. She looked like her mother, with her chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. "If you want something to eat, get in the kitchen NOW!"

Merlin dashed out of the bedroom, skidding on the polished wooden floors. He spread his wings out and floated down the stairs, landing with a gentle thud at the bottom. Bridgette and Isabella shuffled into the kitchen, still half asleep. Marigold stood by the stove, with Bridgette's parents, Haley and Warren. They were quietly discussing something from the news. When their daughters entered, the conversation immediately ended. Two plates of hot food sat on the table. "Where's Dad?" Isabella asked, sitting at the table.

"Patrick will be here in a few minutes. He had to go over to the Ministry of Magic to pick up our tickets for the big match. When he gets back, we'll all go and look for the Portkey," Warren replied, sipping his coffee. Merlin picked up his food bowl with his teeth, tossed it in the air and tried to burn it. He couldn't really breathe fire very well. No one was quite sure what was wrong with him. Isabella had gotten him as an egg for her fourteenth birthday and had raised Merlin ever since. Patrick Apparated in as the girls were finishing their breakfast. He seemed a little uncomfortable standing in his kitchen. Ever since the fire, he just hadn't been himself. He spent more time at the Ministry than with his own family. Sometimes, Isabella wished her father wasn't the Minister of Magic.

"Girls, do you have any of those candies you make behind our backs? You know what will happen if you get caught selling those. Remember what happened last time?" Haley asked. Reluctantly, both girls set a dozen candies on the table. They'd been selling the candies for almost two years. Bridgette and Isabella had invented Belchin' Chocolates. If a person ate one, they would belch uncontrollably every fifteen seconds for an entire three minutes. In the girl's third year, Marigold discovered the candies by accident. As punishment, both girls were forced to eat the remaining supply. It was embarrassing to walk around school and belch uncontrollably for nearly three days. Yet, that didn't stop the girls from making the candies. They'd only gotten smarter and sneakier. Marigold swept all the candies into the trash with a disappointed sigh. "We expect better of you girls. This is why you get into trouble all the time. You could do something better with your time," Marigold said. She was using her lecture tone. Isabella knew they were in for a long and boring lecture.

"Girls, time to go! It's time to find our Portkey to England!" Patrick shouted. Both Isabella and Bridgette flew out the door, grateful to be saved from the lecture. It was still dark outside, so Warren had his wand out. A few blocks down the street were an empty lot, littered with garbage. The Portkey wouldn't be obvious, so no Muggle would notice it and use it. Warren was the first one to spot it. At his feet was an old, deflated basketball. Once they all touched it, they would be transported to the Quidditch match. They all grabbed the basketball at the same time. Isabella felt as though someone had tied a roped around her waist and was pulling her back. The next thing Isabella knew, she was lying face down on the ground with Bridgette sitting on top of her. Patrick and Warren were standing a foot away, trying not to laugh much. "Get off of me! Your butt is crushing my ribcage!" Isabella groaned. While the girls brushed themselves off, Warren went to get a map to their campsite. An older wizard in a floral nightgown passed by, muttering to himself. He mentioned something about a good, cool breeze for his privates. Bridgette went bright red after he passed and Isabella tried not to giggle. "I'm glad we've had interactions with Muggles. At least we didn't dress like that."

"All right girls, its time to set up camp," Patrick announced. They began what turned out to be a very long hike of about a half mile. A small sign read, "Reserved for the American Minister of Magic, Friends and Family." Two very small tents were pitched in the designated spot. From the looks it the outside, the tents were far too small to hold two people. The inside proved to be quite different. Each tent had a living room, full kitchen and bathroom and two small bedrooms. Warren noticed a faint smell of cigars in his bedroom. Since it was afternoon, Patrick decided to cook some hamburgers, the Muggle way.

It was then that Isabella decided to get some water. She and Bridgette picked up a large plastic bucket and headed towards the water pump. There were about half a dozen wizards ahead of them. Two younger wizards and a witch passed by. One boy had very red hair and the girl had bushy brown hair. Bridgette's eyes became wide when she glanced at the other boy. "Bella, did you see that boy?" she gasped. "Honestly, Bridge, there are a bout a thousand boys in this area. Do you think I would notice a single one?" Isabella asked as she pumped the water. "This boy had a scar on his forehead, in the shape of a lightning bolt! It was Harry Potter! He's the boy who lived!" Bridgette replied, grabbing a handle of the bucket. Both girls struggled to carry it all the way to the campsite but they managed to get there. They had been instructed to not use magic. Warren managed to get a fire going. He'd cooked the burgers without burning them too much.

Once lunch was through, it was time to begin the hike to the Quidditch Stadium. It turned out to be a very, very long walk. Both girls were out of breath by the time they reached their destination. "We have got to pass our Apparition test," Isabella panted. The Bulgarian team was flying around, warming up for the big game. A referee hurried over to the four visitors, demanding that they leave immediately. "My name is Patrick Scott and this is Isabella Scott, the number one Beater in America and ranked third internationally. I'm the American Minister of Magic. This young lady here is Bridgette Welch, the smartest witch in America. I believe I arranged for a little surprise for these girls," Patrick hinted. The referee nodded and blew his whistle. One of the players swooped down to see what was going on. "Bella, that's Viktor Krum! I've read all about him in Witch Weekly!" Bridgette gasped excitedly. He wasn't the most attractive person in the world. His face seemed a little pale and his nose crooked, like it had been broken. "Girls, this is Viktor Krum, Seeker for Bulgaria."

"I haff heard of you, Isabella. You are a very skilled Beater and it vould be an honor to play against you sometime," Viktor said, holding a hand out. She shook hands with him before stepping back. He was very nice, even though it was hard to understand his accent. "Vould you like to go for a quick ride before I haff to leave?"

"Sure, is sounds like fun," Isabella replied, hopping on the broom. Viktor flew higher before circling the stadium a few times. She couldn't help but think that she was starting to like him. He wasn't the loveliest person ever, but he had charm. When they came back down, Patrick had some parchment and a quill in his hand. Viktor gladly signed autographs for Isabella and Bridgette, but in turn, he wanted an autograph from Isabella. Witches and wizards were beginning to fill the stadium, so it was time for them to find their seats.

Warren led them up some stairs, which seemed to last forever. Finally, they came to a small room with about twenty-five scarlet chairs. "This is the surprise, girls. We managed to get seats in the Top Box," Patrick announced. "You two ought to send thank-you notes to Cornelius Fudge. He's the one who gave us the tickets."

"Who are they?" Bridgette asked, nodding towards a group of people with red hair. The oldest red head looked at Patrick a smile on his face. Both men, along with Warren, worked for the Ministry of Magic. Arthur Weasley, the older red head, worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifact department, while Warren was in the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

Mr. Weasley introduced his children -Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Percy, Ron and Ginny- and their two friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Warren introduced Bridgette and Isabella. Three of the Weasley boys and Hermione recognized their names. "You're the Isabella Scott, number one Beater in America?" George asked. She nodded. "Blimey, every Quidditch team in the world must be after you!"

"They are but Bella is still in school so she can't join a team for another two years," Patrick replied, clapping Isabella on the shoulder. "Bridgette here is on the smartest witches in the world. She got the highest scores ever on the O. W. Ls. In fact, there probably isn't a witch alive that's smarter than Bridgette."

Both girls sank into chairs, trying to hide their embarrassment. Isabella knew their faces had to be bright red. Patrick, Warren, and Mr. Weasley began to discuss the disappearance of Bertha Jorkins. "So, what school do you attend?" Hermione asked.

"We used to attend the Academy of Fine Magic, until it burned down," Bridgette began.

"So we were transferred to Hogwarts," Isabella finished, dropping her piece of parchment. The message from Viktor could be seen by everyone. Before anyone could read it, she quickly stuffed it in her pocket. She hadn't been able to look at it yet. Bridgette only got an autograph, but Isabella received a little note. "What house are you guys in?"

Bill, Charlie, and Percy had left Hogwarts. Everyone in the Weasley family got placed in the Gryffindor house, which was the arch enemy of Slytherin. When Ginny asked what house they were in, Bridgette lied, saying they hadn't been sorted yet. If their new friends found out that they were in Slytherin, who knew what might happen? "Cornelius, Ludo, welcome to the Top Box," Patrick exclaimed, shaking hand with two men who'd just walked in.

The prime minister of Bulgaria sat in the corner. He apparently didn't speak any English. Behind him, the Malfoys were waiting to find their seats. Patrick and Warren happened to be good friends of Lucius Malloy. Unfortunately, their children did not get along. Isabella jammed her hands into her pockets and discovered something strange. "I thought we left all those with your mom. If she finds out we took one with us, we'll have to eat the ones at home again," Bridgette hissed.

Isabella produced another chocolate. "Are you offering me some candy?" Draco asked, taking the candy from her hand. For a second, she wanted to warn him, but decided not to. He ate the Belchin' Chocolate before burping rather loud. The Bulgarian was clearly offended by this. Patrick shot a disapproving look at his daughter, who was laughing hysterically. To everyone's surprise, Mr. Bagman was also laughing. Draco's face turned pink as another belch escaped his mouth. Isabella was able to explain in Bulgarian to the Bulgarian minister about her bewitched candies, making him smile.

The match would begin soon, after the parade of mascots. "Would anyone like to make a wager on tonight's match?" Bagman asked.

"Put us down for fifty Galleons, twelve Sickles and a Knut. We think Ireland will win, but Viktor Krum will get the Snitch. We'll even throw in a Belchin' Chocolate," Bridgette said, holding out a small pouch and a candy. Isabella nudged her in the ribs. "Oh, and Bella bets twenty Galleons on Ireland winning by only ten points."

Mr. Bagman scribbled their names on a piece of parchment, a tiny grin on his face. He made a comment about the girls taking a big and slightly foolish risk. "What's life without a risk?" Isabella murmured as she watched a bunch of leprechauns take their seats on Ireland's side. A large group of veela was on Bulgaria's side. Mr. Weasley covered his eyes but the younger boys were acting strange. "Don't they study Magic of Foreign Lands, like we did? They should know about veela."

Finally, the match started. Since they didn't bring Omnioculars, Isabella and Bridgette had a bit of trouble seeing the individual players. They spotted Krum easily. "What did he write in that note?" Bridgette whispered. Isabella pulled the parchment out of her pocket and smoothed it out. "Here's to Isabella, I hope we meet again sometime, maybe off the Quidditch field. Much love, Viktor Krum! I do believe he would like to go out with you."

For the first time ever, Isabella was not interested in Quidditch. She carefully folded the note and put it back in her pocket. Then she heard Mr. Bagman screaming, "Ireland wins by ten points! Krum get the Snitch but Ireland has won the match!" Bridgette quickly scrambled over her seat to collect on her bet. He dropped a pouch of coins in her hand when Isabella raised her hands. With a heavy sigh, he placed forty Galleons in her cupped palms. "I hope that'll go to good use?"

The girls just simply nodded.


	2. A Real Mystery

"I wonder who Viktor Krum was waving to after he caught the Snitch. He was looking directly at the Top Box," Mr. Weasley pointed out as they journeyed back to their tents. The Scotts and Welchs were staying a few yards away from where Weasley's tents. "Fred, George, you'd better not mention your gambling to your mother. Its better she not know about this."

"Girls, the same goes for you. If Marigold or Haley finds out you had two of those candies here, they'll punish you," Patrick added. Bridgette had found one candy in her pocket, but gave it to Fred. The twins were also in the mail order business. Isabella suggested that they merge their ideas in order to make money. The Weasleys agreed to sell the Belchin' Chocolates and even gave the girls two fake wands. They all said good bye when Isabella's campsite appeared.

Warren and Patrick were acting strange, which worried their daughters. Both men seemed nervous. Before going into their tent, Patrick pointed to something on his wrist. Bridgette tried to see what it was but she was sent to her tent, something was going on. While walking back, she heard an old wizard say he was worried. He mentioned that he was a Seer and he felt an ominous sense of danger. Then he uttered the words, "You-Know-Who," which could only mean one thing.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had risen to power again. The idea of Him coming back was pretty far-fetched, but it was possible. Bridgette presented her hunch to Isabella. "I know it seems ridiculous, but I think it's a possibility. Maybe that's why our fathers are acting so weird all of a sudden," Bridgette suggested, changing into her nightgown. "What if your parents and my dad were followers of You-Know-Who but they never told us? Do you think they've been lying to us about their past?"

"I know my parents haven't been honest with me. They never talk about stuff that happened before I went into the Academy. In fact, they claim not to remember anything from when I was a baby," Isabella replied. Bridgette crawled into her twin-sized bed, her wand in her hand. She wanted to be prepared, in case something bad happened. Isabella sat on her bed. "What would you do if your dad did lie to you for all these years?"

"Some things are better left unknown. If my dad used to be an evil wizard, I don't care. He's not evil now and that's all that matters," Bridgette said. Isabella discovered she wasn't sleepy anymore. There were too many thoughts racing around in her mind. What if her parents were part of an evil wizard's team? However, Bridgette was right. Whatever had happened in the past was in the past. They could hear Ireland's celebration.

The joyous shouts suddenly turned into screams of pure terror. Isabella hurried to peek outside, wondering what was going on. Several people had been levitated. She went into Warren and Patrick's tent, but they were gone. The screams were getting closer. Where were their fathers? This was not a good time for them to Disapperate. Bridgette bolted up from her bed when she had heard voices outside the tent. She didn't recognize any of them. Isabella was also missing, which couldn't be good.

She found Isabella in their father's tent and both girls hurried outside and saw several wizards in masks. One of them pointed towards Bridgette, who was wearing her nightgown and her pink robe. "They can see both of us but they're only after her. How come they want her?" Isabella wondered. Without hesitating for another second, she grabbed Bridgette's arm and pulled her towards the woods. Dozens of other witches and wizards ran past the two girls. Bridgette's foot caught a root, causing her to fall on something. "We need a little light if we're going to run in a forest. Lumos!"

Isabella's wand lit up, illuminating the area. "The ground sure is soft here. I didn't hurt myself at all. What great luck," Bridgette commented, getting to her feet. Isabella realized they weren't alone. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were all nearby. Bridgette had actually fallen on top of Ron. "I take it we're all running from the evil wizards in masks. What's going on out there?"

"They're after all the Mudbloods," cam the curt reply. Draco Malfoy managed to find them, even though hundreds of people were in the forest. Bridgette nearly screamed but Isabella clamped a hand over her mouth. If the evil wizards wanted to humiliate Muggle-borns, Bridgette Welch would be on their list. "Well, I think it's funny to see all those Muggles floating in the air." Turning to Bella and Bridgette he asked, "Where are your fathers?" The girls said nothing.

"Where's you father, Malfoy? Is he out there wearing a mask?" Harry asked. The white-haired boy snorted indignantly. "I'll bet your parents are out there levitating the Muggles."

"If they were, I wouldn't tell you, Potter. Besides, Scott's father isn't here. Maybe he is the one attacking those stupid Muggles," Malfoy joked. Isabella reached for her wand but it wasn't in her pocket. She'd put it there a second ago, when Hermione took her wand out.

"Forget about him, let's go," Hermione said, tugging on Harry's jacket. Bridgette and Isabella decided to follow Ron, Hermione and Harry. Malfoy handed Isabella her wand. He then explained that some kid found it and asked if it was his so he took it for safe keeping. Isabella didn't believe him but she didn't have time to argue with him. She hurried off after her friends. Even though her parents were friends of Draco's parents, she couldn't stand the Malfoys.

There was still a lot of noise coming from the campsite, so they couldn't go back. A group of teenagers nearby had begun to argue. One boy with dark, curly hair turned and asked a question in French. Harry, Hermione, Isabella and Ron had no idea what he'd asked them. Bridgette stepped forward and answered his question in French. He kissed her on both cheeks before going back to his friends. "Suddenly, I really wish I could go to Beauxbatons," she murmured.

"Beauxbatons?" asked Ron.

"Yes, there's a wizard school in France called Beauxbatons Academy of Fine Magic. I'll bet that boy goes there," said Hermione, still tugging on Harry's jacket. Harry was searching his pockets for something. He pulled out his Omnioculars and muttered that he'd lost his wand. Ron held his wand up so the light would cover more ground. "You know, Malfoy made a point, where have your fathers gone?"

"We don't know, all right?" Isabella snapped.

"The evil wizards were coming after me, so we left before we could find them. If you must know I'm on of the Mudbloods they're probably looking for," Bridgette explained. Harry and Ron appeared to be shocked by the news. But Hermione was relieved. "We ought to keep moving. If there are any other Muggle-borns here, they're in serious danger too. I hear some voices ahead. We'll be safer in a large group."

There were a few goblins sitting around a large sack of gold, cackling. They were oblivious to all of the terrified screams from the campsites. In fact, the goblins were more concerned with the gold than all of their surroundings. Further down the path there was silvery light from a group of veela. A bunch of young wizards stood a few feet away from them, boasting about their accomplishments. Since there were so many people, this seemed like a perfect place to stop.

While they sat, a familiar face suddenly appeared from behind a tree. It was Ludo Bagman, who no longer had a boyish gleam in his eye. He looked rather flustered. "Huh, what are you doing out here, all alone?" he asked.

He was met with a stunned silence. Since this part of the forest was quieter, it seemed almost silent. "Well, Mr. Bagman, we're here because there is a riot going on in the campsite, so we ran away," Bridgette explained. Mr. Bagman's eyes grew wide with concern. He wasn't aware of the riots yet.

"Damn them!" he swore loudly before Disapperating. Once again the young witches and wizards were alone. Isabella wished she knew if her father was all right. He'd been gone for a really long time. Maybe Bridgette was right about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Even so, making such a claim was serious. Then again, she could also be right in her assumptions. Why else would a bunch of wizards be levitating innocent Muggle-borns?

Ron was keeping himself entertained with his miniature figure of Viktor Krum that walked around. It looked a lot like the actual person. "I sure hope those poor Muggles get down. It's a shame what's happening to them," Hermione sighed, looking towards the campsite. Isabella sat against a tree with her back to the others. The whole attack seemed like it was planned. The evil wizards knew who were Muggle-born, since they went after Bridgette.

In the bush next to the tree, a noise startled Isabella. She jumped up in surprise before glancing at the others. They'd all heard the noise nearby. Who ever was coming with uneven steps like one leg had been injured. Hermione raised her wand to see who was limping closer to them. Bridgette pulled out her own wand, in case she needed to use it. "Hello?" Harry called. There was no reply, but someone was there. It was difficult to see the person, even with the light from their wands. Then they all heard a strange voice utter a spell.

"MORSMORDE!"

A glittering, green flash shot out of the dark patch near where Isabella sat. For a moment, all five of them were blinded. Bridgette fell down in surprise but her eyes quickly focused. The green light seemed to explode in the sky. "Ha! I was right!" Bridgette exclaimed triumphantly, pointing towards Isabella.

"Yes, you were, but now we're all in serious danger. I remember hearing about this from Professor Kaiser, but what did he call it?" Isabella wondered, as a mark formed. The green light turned into a gigantic skull with its tongue sticking out. Bridgette pointed out one very important detail. The skull had a snake instead of a normal, human tongue coming out of it. The mark went higher until it looked like a new constellation.

Suddenly, the forest was full of screams. Had another riot started because of the skull? The wooded area was completely illuminated, but Isabella still couldn't see who had been in the bushes. Whoever was there must have conjured the mark. "We need to leave, right now!" Hermione said, tugging on Isabella's shirt.

"I don't get it. What's the big deal?" Harry asked when he saw four pale faces staring at him.

"Don't they teach you anything at Hogwarts? That mark in the sky is the symbol of You-Know-Who! Somebody conjured the Dark Mark!" Bridgette yelled. Ron hurriedly scooped up his toy and shoved it in his pocket. After a few steps, several quiet pops were heard. "I'm hoping one of us is chewing gum and that was the gum I was heard pop."

Harry was the first one to spin around. The others didn't dare look at what caused the popping noise. Bridgette decided to take a peek behind her. She immediately noticed one big problem. They were surrounded by at least twenty wizards and all of them held out their wand. Harry glanced at Bridgette, who nodded. Together, they shouted, "DUCK!" before knocking their friends to the ground.

"STUPEFY!" roared twenty voices. There was a series of red flashes. Isabella felt a strong wind blow through their hair. She raised her head to see jets of red light flying over them. None of the wizards lowered their wands.

"Stop!" someone cried, pushing past the other wizards. Ron turned his head around and saw that his father was the one who came to their aid. Bridgette felt relieved to see Mr. Weasley, even if she barely knew him. "Those children have done nothing wrong! One of them is my son, Ron! The American Minister of Magic's daughter is lying on the ground. Attacking a foreign girl will be frowned upon by the Department of International Magical Cooperation!"

Patrick and Warren Apparated at that moment. They both looked a little pale. Both men had their left wrists covered, like they were trying to hide something. Hesitantly, Bridgette and Isabella stood up, holding their hands high in surrender. Neither girl knew what was going on, but they weren't taking any chances. They were no match for twenty adult wizards. "Don't harm those children! We have no proof that they conjured up the Dark Mark!" Warren shouted as he walked to his daughter.

"You think we're responsible for the Dark Mark? That is a serious crime to accuse two sixteen year old girls of," Bridgette pointed out. She didn't have her wand with her. Isabella didn't know what was going anymore. Had she just been accused of conjuring the Dark Mark? The older wizards lowered their wands, so Hermione, Ron and Harry stood up. All five of the young witches and wizards huddled together, completely terrified.

An elderly man in a crisp suit and tie appeared an angry look on his face. His short gray hair had a perfect part and his mustache was evenly trimmed. He glared at Isabella since she had a wand in her hand. "Is this the one who conjured the Dark Mark?" he demanded, pointing to Isabella.

"My daughter is not responsible for this, nor are her friends!" Patrick shouted.

"She has her wand out, which makes her guilty! This girl must be sent to prison." the man replied.

"Barty Crouch, my daughter, Bridgette and her friend, Isabella are only in their sixth year of school. Two sixteen year old girls do not have the knowledge to use such an evil incantation," Warren objected, squeezing Bridgette's shoulder. Mr. Crouch glared at Bridgette with icy eyes. He believed that this girl was guilty of conjuring the Dark Mark.

"Barty! We've found the one responsible!" Mr. Bagman exclaimed, holding an unconscious house elf. "Amos Diggory found her in the bushes over there. She has a wand but I'm not sure how she got it. Perhaps we ought to see what the last spell was."

Harry recognized both the wand and the elf. It was his wand and Winky the house elf, whom he'd, met in the Top Box. Mr. Diggory then accused Harry Potter, but Mr. Crouch thought Isabella was guilty. Patrick was furious that his daughter was being accused of conjuring the Dark Mark. In order to clear the two young ones of the crimes, Warren suggested that they use Priori Incantato to see if either wand had the sinister spell. Isabella put her wand tip to tip with Mr. Diggory's. He used Priori Incantato and a small puff of smoke appeared.

The spell Isabella used last was Lumos but her wand showed that she had used the Imperious Curse. That curse could make a wizard be completely controlled. "How can she be innocent if she's practicing an Unforgivable Curse?" Mr. Crouch demanded. Patrick looked to Isabella with confusion in his eyes. It seemed like she really had conjured the Dark Mark. Isabella protested, "I dropped my wand earlier and someone else must have used it for the curse." Harry's wand went up next to see if he'd used the incantation. A green puff of smoke appeared, identical to the symbol in the sky. There was proof that his wand had created the Dark Mark, but no one thought he was guilty.

Since he was the famous Harry Potter, Mr. Crouch and Mr. Diggory figured he was innocent. They placed all the blame on Isabella Scott, even though she was completely innocent. She knew the Unforgivable Curses could not be used by underage witches. Bridgette then pointed out one major detail that was overlooked. Winky had Harry's wand, therefore the elf must have created the Dark Mark. Everyone seemed satisfied with that explanation, so no one thought Harry was involved.

However, that didn't prove that Isabella was innocent. She was guiltier than before. Mr. Crouch decided that perhaps Isabella was a bit young to know the Imperious Curse or the Dark Mark, but she would be closely watched, just in case, Patrick and Warren suggested that they keep a watch over the campsite. "Hold on! If you're out watching over this place, who is going to look out for us?" Bridgette demanded.

"The young lady makes an excellent point. I would prefer that Ms. Scott have an adult wizard keep a close eye on her. If someone volunteers, Patrick and Warren can guard the campsite," Mr. Crouch announced. Fortunately, Mr. Weasley was willing to let the girls stay in his tent for the rest of the night. Winky the house elf was sobbing hysterically. "As for you, elf, this means only one thing. Clothes!"

Bridgette felt bad for Winky. The poor house elf was being treated like filth when she was extremely upset. Mr. Crouch dismissed everyone so he could tend to his many problems. Patrick and Warren left without saying anything to their daughters. Isabella began to suspect something. "What do you think they're up to, Bella?" Bridgette asked.

"I don't know, Bridge. Whatever it is, it involves our fathers. They're hiding a big secret from us," Isabella replied. She watched as Patrick reached up to stretch his arms. There was something on his left wrist, like a tattoo. It looked similar to the Dark Mark. Warren quickly pulled Patrick's arm down. He pointed to Isabella, who was staring at them. The reality of the situation created a nauseous feeling in her stomach. Her father was a Death Eater and that mark on his arm proved it.

"Come on, girls, let's get you to bed. This has been a difficult night for all of us," Mr. Weasley said, ushering all of the younger ones towards his tent. He was glad to see that his other children were already back in the tent. Bill had a large gash on his arm, Charlie managed to rip his shirt and Percy had a bloody nose. Fred, George and Ginny were unhurt, but frightened. Bridgette had a cut on her foot from running without her shoes. Isabella's shirt had several tears from running through bushes.

When the others had fallen asleep and only Charlie's snoring could be heard, Bridgette turned to her friend and whispered, "You saw that thing on your dad's arm that my dad was trying to cover up, didn't you?"

"Yes, but that must mean your father has one too. Our fathers were Death Eaters!" Isabella replied.

"Death Eaters?"

"They were followers of You-Know-Who. The Dark Mark hasn't been seen in thirteen years, since He tried to kill Harry Potter. Death Eaters killed Muggles for fun, which may be why those evil wizards were after you." Both girls felt a chill shoot down their spines. They had a mystery on their hands.


	3. A Warning

The next morning, Isabella and Bridgette were allowed to return to their tents. Patrick and Warren's tent had been completely destroyed, but the girl's tent was untouched. "Odd I thought they would be back by this time. Where could they be?" Mr. Weasley muttered, scratching his head in confusion. "Children, stay here for a bit. I'm going to see where those men have gone to. Bill, Charlie, you boys are in charge while I'm gone."

Mr. Weasley hurried away to find Patrick and Warren. Bridgette went inside her tent and found that someone had been in there. The evil wizards were looking for something but hadn't found it. Isabella noticed that her bed had been ripped to shreds, along with her favorite stuffed bunny. Its head was chopped off. She'd had the bunny since she was only three. There was a shiny object sticking out of the doll's severed neck. It appeared to be an old key to something. Isabella stuck the key in her pocket, but didn't tell anyone about it. "It doesn't look like this was a random attack," Charlie commented.

"They tore my autograph from Viktor Krum!" Bridgette gasped, picking up a few scraps of paper. She sifted through some other wreckage and discovered her father's wallet. That didn't make sense. Why would his wallet be in her tent unless he has been there? Things weren't adding up right. Isabella noticed the strange things as well. Nothing had been stolen and nothing valuable was broken (besides Isabella's bunny), which seemed strange. It was almost like Patrick and Warren were looking for something in particular, but what did they want? Neither girl carried an object of importance.

Isabella went back outside when she heard voices near the tent. There were three men, quite possibly all three fathers. The shock of red hair signaled the return of Mr. Weasley. "Hello Isabella, did you sleep last night? Patrick asked after him and Warren Apparated. Mr. Weasley, who'd been talking with two other wizards, jumped back in surprise. "Arthur! I didn't mean to spook you. Those horrid wizards left once they saw the Dark Mark."

"The bad news is that the Ministry of Magic needs us at work. Apparently, there's quite an uproar going on and we've got to meet Cornelius Fudge down at the Ministry. However, the girls can't be left alone," Warren sighed. He never once noticed that his tent was completely trashed. That made Isabella suspicious. Bridgette emerged from the tent and groaned. Her father was the last person she wanted to see at the moment.

"I wouldn't mind letting the girls stay in my house. School starts in a week and your daughters could spend time with their new friends," Mr. Weasley suggested. Patrick seemed a little hesitant about letting his daughter stay with a wizard he didn't know too well. Isabella made a comment that she and Bridgette could stay in Diagon Alley. Warren knew the girls wanted to explore Knockturn Alley, which was strictly forbidden. He discussed the situation with Patrick for a moment. The two realized it was best for the girls to go with Mr. Weasley. "Don't you worry about them. My wife and I will take care of Isabella and Bridgette."

Patrick and Warren said their good-byes before Disapperating to the Ministry. Mr. Weasley ushered all nine of the younger witches and wizards to find the Portkey. Bill was the first one to spot it. They were going to use an old tire to get to Stoatshead Hill, where the Weasleys lived. "We're in for a bit of a walk," Ron warned as they began the journey to the Burrow. Bridgette groaned upon hearing that she had to do more walking. "Just so you know, the Burrow isn't the fanciest place in England, but we call it home. You'll like it once you're there."

"I'm sure we'll love it. Ron thanks again for letting us stay with your family. We owe you one," Isabella said. She wished her father had been less vague as to why the Ministry in England needed the American Minister of Magic. Another part of her missed her dragon. Bridgette gasped when she saw the Burrow. It was rundown, but it looked beautiful. She and Isabella lived in New York, which was a concrete jungle. The Burrow was surrounded by an endless field of lush, emerald grass. "We really should come to England more often. I don't see why my mother left this place."

Isabella's mother, Marigold, lived in Liverpool, England her entire life. She went to Hogwarts as a young witch and was in the Ravenclaw house. After leaving school, she worked for the Ministry of Magic as an Ambassador. On a visit to America, she met Patrick and they got married. Marigold's parents still lived in England, but her father had disappeared nearly fourteen years earlier. Mabel, Isabella's grandmother, claimed her husband had died. The whole family accepted that, even though there wasn't a funeral. "Girls, welcome to our home!" Mr. Weasley announced, bringing Isabella back to reality.

A plump woman, also with red hair, came flying down the short lane when they reached the house. She bawled as she hugged the twins, apologizing for yelling at them before they'd left. Each child received a hug, including Isabella and Bridgette. "Wait a moment, who are you two? I don't believe we've ever met before," the red headed woman commented, eyeing the girls closely. She stepped back to get a better view, but still didn't know who the two girls were. "Arthur, who are these girls that you've brought home? Are they friends of the kids from school?"

"Molly, this is Bridgette Welch and Isabella Scott, whose father is the American Minister of Magic. Their fathers have been asked to aid the Ministry in the investigation of last night's incident. I offered to let their daughters stay with us until they leave for Hogwarts," Mr. Weasley explained. Mrs. Weasley sighed heavily. That didn't sound like a good sigh.

"We don't take up much space and we're willing to help out around the house. Honestly, we weren't expecting to be left in the care of Mr. Weasley so suddenly," Bridgette pointed out, hoping Mrs. Weasley would let them stay. Fortunately, she was a very kind, warm person. While walking down the lane, Bill scooped up the Daily Prophet. There were several pictures from the attacks, entitled, "Scenes of Terror at the Quidditch World Cup." Underneath a photograph of the Dark Mark was a picture of Isabella holding her wand. There was a lengthy article accusing her of conjuring up the Dark Mark. Bill noticed who wrote the article and groaned.

Rita Skeeter was a reporter who was notorious for stretching the truth a bit. She had damaged the reputations of many witches and wizards. Mr. Weasley skimmed the article before crumpling the paper into a ball. "No matter what Rita Skeeter says, I think Isabella is totally innocent. No sixteen year old is capable of conjuring the Dark Mark," Mr. Weasley muttered. Bill nodded in agreement as they stepped inside. "Molly, I'm afraid I need to go to work. There are a couple of things that need to be smoothed over."

He stared directly at Isabella, who was talking to Ginny about her home in New York. Percy decided to go to the Ministry of Magic in order to help sort things out. "I don't think she'll be found guilty for last night. Who in their right mind would accuse a young girl of such a terrible crime?" Mrs. Weasley asked, handing Mr. Weasley his robes. Bill looked up from the crumpled newspaper and shook his head.

"A person could be sent to Azkaban for life if accused of such crimes," Charlie commented. The living room fell completely silent. "It's true Fudge won't take any chances after last night. He'll send the wizard or witch he thinks is most guilty straight to prison."

"Well, won't Cornelius Fudge feel like a fool when he finally realizes that I didn't do it?" Isabella asked. She knew she was facing some serious accusations, but she didn't care. Each person returned to their own activity when Mr. Weasley and Percy left. Fire suddenly appeared in the fireplace then a person emerged. It was a woman with short brown hair and hazel eyes. Mrs. Weasley immediately held up her wand but Isabella asked her to put it away. "That's my mother, although I have no idea why she's here."

"So sorry to intrude, but when Patrick called me on the phone and told me that my daughter was here I- Molly! Molly is that really you?" asked Marigold, wiping some soot from her robes. Mrs. Weasley began to laugh when she recognized her old school mate. The two mothers were excited to see each other after so many years. "Yes, well, I was wondering if the girls could stay here for the week. I'll be back to help send them all off, but I'm not sure about Merlin. He's a bit small so he shouldn't be too much trouble. I am a trifle worried about your furniture. His claws would shred all this in a day."

"Pardon me, but who is Merlin?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Merlin is Isabella's dragon. He's about the size of a cat and he's very tame," Marigold replied. When Charlie heard the word, "dragon," his eyes lit up. The younger Weasleys begged their mother to let Isabella and Bridgette stay for the week. Mrs. Weasley agreed to let the girls and the dragon stay in the Burrow. Bill, Charlie, Fred and George were chosen to carry the trunks. Ginny pulled out her wand and started a fire in the fireplace. Some Floo powder was thrown in, making the fire green. Marigold went first, followed closely by the older Weasley boys.

A few minutes later, all five of them returned. A small cage was placed in Isabella's arms. The boys placed both trunks in a corner with several others. "Why don't you stay for a bit Marigold? I'll fix some tea with Ogden's Old Firewhiskey," Mrs. Weasley offered as a gray creature emerged from the cage. Merlin stretched his wings before sitting on Isabella's feet. He looked at the new place with curious eyes. Charlie was fascinated by the miniature dragon, since he studied dragons in Romania. Bridgette pulled out a copy of Difficult Spells for Defense, which she had almost finished, and settled herself on the couch.

The week seemed to fly by. Mr. Weasley and Percy spent most of their time at work. Patrick stopped by twice to make sure Isabella hadn't been hurt. He still didn't say much about what he was doing. The second time he came to visit, he brought Isabella a gift. "I'm afraid I can't explain the reason behind this, but it'll come in handy in certain tasks. Your mother and I will meet you at the train station to see you off. Warren is coming too" Patrick said as Isabella opened the gift. In the box was a small, silver knife. In her old school, weapons like knives weren't allowed. Somehow, this gift seemed very inappropriate.

Patrick went on to explain that something big was going to happen at Hogwarts but he couldn't tell her anything else. Before Isabella could ask anymore questions, he suddenly had to leave. She tucked the knife away in her trunk. "Bella, what breed of dragon is Merlin?" Charlie asked. He had become fascinated with her pet. All week, he'd been playing with Merlin. He even borrowed a book from Bridgette to see if the answer was within its pages.

"Merlin is a Bulgarian Smooth-Skinned Ridgeback. He was very sick as a baby, so he never really grew," she replied. Charlie scribbled a few quick notes on some parchment as she pointed out certain features on her dragon. Merlin has a series of spikes on his back which were short and rounded, along with his smooth skin. "He's a really rare breed, so some wizards want me to send him to a colony. I'm too attached to him so I can't let him go."

Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out from the kitchen, announcing that dinner was ready. All eleven children, a fluffy ginger cat and a dark gray dragon hurried outside to the two enormous picnic tables. Bridgette took a seat between Ginny and George, who had a "special interest" in a certain American girl. Isabella sat across from Bridgette, between Charlie and Fred. "Since we're all leaving tomorrow, we're eating a big dinner. Mum always makes a big meal before go off to school," Ron warned as several dishes appeared on the table. Each dish had a different food on it. "It's too bad that Dad and Percy can't be here."

Bridgette took a long look at her choices. Some of the food looked completely foreign to her. She'd never heard of steak and kidney pie before. "George, be a dear and help Bridgette. I think she's a bit overwhelmed," Mrs. Weasley said as Charlie piled some mashed potatoes on Isabella's plate.

"I'm not George, Mum! He's George!" he shouted indignantly, pointing across the table to his twin.

"Honestly, what kind of mother are you, woman? Can't you tell one son form the other?" the other twin cried. Mrs. Weasley sighed in frustration. "Just kidding Mum. He is George and I am Fred."

Everyone had a good laugh at the prank. Bridgette nervously tried the steak and kidney pie. She didn't want to offend her host by seeming rude. To her surprise, it wasn't bad at all. George set some of his roasted chicken on the seat so Merlin could enjoy the food as well. They stayed outside as the sky turned orange. All of their problems seemed to disappear as fireflies floated around. Crookshanks, the ginger colored cat that belonged to Hermione, chased gnomes around the yard. Merlin managed to catch a gnome with his teeth and proudly presented it to Isabella. She released the frightened gnome as George commented, "That's one smart dragon you've got, Bella."

"He also knows how to roll over and play dead. I'm trying to teach him to sit but Merlin gets distracted way too easily," she replied. When the sky became black and all the stars were out, Mrs. Weasley called them all into the house for bed. Tomorrow morning, they would be at the train station, leaving for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Bridgette and Isabella had to sleep in the living room because there wasn't enough room for everyone in the Burrow. Merlin curled up on the couch, smoke rings coming from his nose.

Isabella couldn't sleep because she was so nervous about going to a new school. After staring at the ceiling for a long time, she finally fell asleep, only to have a strange dream. In the dream, there was a maze. She found a shiny object which took her to a cemetery. A large group of wizards in black robes had gathered around an old cauldron. Two other young wizards were standing next to her. A strange, green light was heading towards them. The wizard on her right, who had short brown hair and brown eyes, threw Isabella to the ground. "Look out, Bella! He used Avada Kedavra!" the boy shouted as the light came closer.

Before he could get out of the way, the light struck him. Avada Kedavra was another Unforgivable Curse, one that killed a person. Very few wizards used it. Only evil wizards used the Killing Curse to murder their enemies. More people in black robes were appearing. That was when Isabella woke up, drenched in sweat. Had she seen into the future or was it just a nightmare? "Bridgette, wake up! Something really weird is going!" she whispered in a terrified voice.

"Can it wait until morning?" Bridgette groaned, pulling her blanket over her head. Isabella ripped the covers back since she had to talk about her nightmare. "Bella, it's late and we're leaving here early in the morning. Go to sleep!"

"Someone might die and I just saw how he's going to die!" Isabella hissed. Bridgette quickly sat up and listened as her friend described the nightmare in full detail. Somehow, describing the dream made it even more frightening than seeing it. When she explained about the murder, Bridgette gasped. They now had another mystery on their hands. What did Isabella's dream mean and who was murdered? "To make things even more messed up, my father gave me a silver knife and said it would come in handy for certain tasks. He couldn't tell me anything else."

Bridgette pulled her wand out and muttered, "Lumos!" She took a piece of parchment before scribbling something down. "Ok, first, our fathers start acting weird, then Patrick gives you a knife and now you're having prophetic dreams. I think these events are related somehow. From now on, if anything that can't be explained happens, write it down. We've got to solve this mystery before that boy is murdered."

The parchment was folded and tucked away in Bridgette's trunk. Neither girl could sleep peacefully. The thought of seeing someone's death really frightened them, even though they had no idea who this person was. As the sun rose, Isabella was still wondering what was going on. Undoubtedly, her father had to be involved. He had the Dark Mark on his arm, which meant he was once a follower of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lord Voldemort. There had to be a connection between her father and Voldemort. "It's hard to think that my dad could be a part of an evil organization. If my mother was in it too, would that make me a Death Eater?" Isabella wondered.

There was no sign of the Dark Mark on her arms so she couldn't be a Death Eater. Surely her parents would have told her if they were involved with the wrong crowd. Isabella then made one possible connection. Maybe the wizards in black robes in her dream were Death Eaters. The boys who were standing by her were targets of the evil wizards. One Death Eaters tried to kill Isabella but the brown-eyed boy pushed her out of the way. She'd never met him before, but he knew her.

The other boy had dark hair and green eyes. He wore glasses too. His face seemed familiar for some strange reason. There was a mark on his face, a scar from an earlier injury. Isabella then realized the evil wizards were only after her and the boy with glasses. She now knew who that boy was.

Harry Potter.


	4. On The Train to School

Mrs. Weasley was a nervous wreck during breakfast. She hurried around, making sure each child had everything packed and ready to go. Patrick, Marigold, and Warren showed up with several parcels in hand. "Thank goodness you came. Would you mind keeping an eye on the boys in the kitchen while I take some clean robes up to Harry and Ron? I don't trust Fred and George alone," Mrs. Weasley said, walking up the stairs with an armload of robes.

"Which one of you is Fred and which is George?" Patrick asked, surveying the large table of red heads. Isabella glanced at George, who sat across from her and they began to laugh. Bridgette threw a biscuit at Fred, who caught it. "Kids, behave! Be good for your mother since all but two of your will be leaving soon. That reminds me, I haven't seen Arthur or Mr. Crouch's assistant, um, Weatherby."

It was Bill and Charlie's turn to laugh. Mr. Crouch had a habit of calling Percy by the name Weatherby. "Bella, Bridge, I hope you haven't hidden some of those chocolates in your trunks. If I get an owl from Dumbledore saying he caught either of you selling those candies, you'll be punished. I've already told him what to do," Marigold warned. Isabella shook her head, showing that she had not brought any Belchin' Chocolates, which was only partially true. All of the candies were in George's trunk.

After breakfast, Patrick and Warren opened the parcels, which contained brand new books. There were also two brand new sets of dress robes. Bridgette's were peacock blue and Isabella's were royal purple. Neither girl knew why they needed dress robes. Merlin was put back in his cage since it was raining pretty hard. They hurried to the village post office so Marigold could call for five taxis to take them all to the Kings Cross train station. She hoped that was a smart decision. Taxi drivers didn't like having to deal with live animals, especially since one was a dragon.

Somehow, all of the trunks fit in the taxi. The rain didn't let up so Isabella had to keep an old towel on Merlin's cage so he wouldn't get wet. Patrick and Marigold insisted that they share a car with their daughter. They wanted to explain something to her. "We don't want to alarm you but there's something we haven't told you. Grandfather Riddle isn't dead. He's been …well…" Patrick trailed off. Marigold glared at him, telling him to hush up. She had her wand in her lap. "Never mind, Bella. Forget what I've said here and have fun at school."

"Yes, there's something exciting about to happen. Very exciting indeed," Marigold added vaguely. Isabella found it wise to not ask any questions. She was keeping an eye on the wand her mother still grasped. If the taxi driver hadn't been a Muggle, Marigold would have used a spell on her own daughter. Isabella had a hunch that there was more to the secret than Patrick was telling. If Marigold hadn't been there, he would have said a lot more. The taxi driver pulled into the unloading zone and began to unload Isabella's trunk. "I told you not to say anything about my father to her. We need to erase that memory."

Patrick responded but his voice was drowned out by all of the noise of the train station. Bridgette, Warren and the Weasleys were already heading towards Platform Nine and Three Quarters. That was the only way to find the Hogwarts Express. Marigold hurriedly paid the drivers so they could catch up with their friends. "I think I can handle things from here. You guys can go off on your own," Isabella muttered, pushing the trolley towards the platform. She didn't feel like putting up with her parents at the moment.

"Bella, what's gotten into you? I've never heard you speak in such a harsh voice before," Marigold said as they walked a short distance behind the others. Isabella began to move a little faster so she could get away from her mother. Patrick jogged alongside his daughter and apologized for the entire morning. He didn't mean for all of the frustration Marigold had to rub off on her. Mrs. Weasley waved to the Scotts, saying they'd reached the platform. "I don't want your school year to start on a bad note, so let's try and get along. We won't be able to see you until October and we've never been so far apart before."

Then it was Patrick's turn to frown. Isabella wanted to know what was going to happen in October, other than her birthday. Harry, Ron and Hermione were talking about the weather when they suddenly slid through the brick pillar. "To get to the platform, you've got to pass through the bricks, without being noticed by any Muggles. It'll be difficult since the train station is full of them today," Charlie explained. Warren started walking slowly towards the barrier. He looked impatient, as though he were running late. After a quick glance at his watch, he disappeared. "Maybe I should help Isabella and Bridgette with this, since this is their first try," said Charlie.

All three of them passed through the barrier and stood on a different platform. An enormous red train was waiting to take all of the Hogwarts students to school. Clouds of steam were billowing from the train. Harry, Ron and Hermione had already claimed some seats, so Bridgette and Isabella figured they'd all sit together. They went back to the platform to say good bye to their families. "Our girls are going off to school, only now they won't be close to us anymore. If only Haley were here, she'd start crying. Too bad she's a Muggle or she would be glad to be here," Warren sighed, wiping a tear from his eye. Bridgette rolled her eyes.

"Besides, we might be seeing you sooner than you think," Charlie hinted as he gave Ginny a hug.

"Huh?" said Isabella.

"What do you mean?" George pried.

"You'll just have to wait. Just don't mention this to anyone since its 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it.' I probably shouldn't have told you that." Charlie explained. Patrick pretended not to hear anything but the pouring rain. Bridgette tried to get some information from her father, but Warren refused to say a word. Before any more questions could be asked, the whistle blew.

Mrs. Weasley and Marigold ushered all of the young ones onto the train. Bridgette and Isabella stuck there heads out the window and shouted, "Thanks for everything Mrs. Weasley! Bye Mom, Dad and Dad! We'll miss you! Marigold was holding a handkerchief to her eyes dabbing. Patrick, Warren, Bill, Charlie and Mrs. Weasley waved as the train sped away.

Ron's gray owl, Pigwideon, was hooting loudly, so he threw his dress robes over the cage. His fancy robes were maroon with some ugly, moldy-looking lace around the neck and cuffs. It looked more like an old dress. At least it muffled Pig's hooting, which was really annoying. "I wonder what's going to happen at Hogwarts," Ron wondered, Merlin, who couldn't leave his cage, angrily flapped his wings to show his displeasure. "Before the big match, Bagman tried to tell us what was going to happen. He wanted us to know but he never did. Now my own mother won't tell even tell me what's going on!"

Hermione suddenly clamped her hand over Ron's mouth and pointed to the door. They could hear a familiar voice bragging about his father. Draco Malfoy was the only person they knew who held such high opinion of himself and his family. "Father wanted to send me to Durmstrang since they have a better Dark Arts program. They're more selective with their students, which mean no Mudbloods are allowed in the school. You know my father's opinion of Mudbloods. Dumbledore isn't strict enough with his admissions because he's such a Mudblood lover. Durmstrang is much better that Hogwarts, but Mother didn't like the idea of sending me so far away…" he said in a stuck up tone of voice.

"I wish he wouldn't use the M- word. It's not a word civilized people use in proper conversation," Bridgette muttered, pulling out her book of spells. "Honestly, he should have gone ahead and transferred to Durmstrang. Purebloods think too much of themselves, no offense Bella."

"You're a Pureblood?" Harry asked.

"I don't like to talk about it. We're not entirely pureblooded. I'm not as stuck up as the Malfoys," Isabella replied. The rain didn't let up. It just came down even harder as the afternoon dragged on. A lunch trolley stopped in the corridor and Harry bought lunch for everyone. Cauldron Cakes were usually reserved for dessert at the Academy of Fine Magic. A few of the other students from Hogwarts joined them. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas had also been at the Quidditch World Cup.

Neville Longbottom, a round faced and often forgetful fourth year boy, listened as the others described the match. He wanted to go but his grandmother wouldn't buy tickets. "It was awesome, Neville. Check this out!" Ron said excitedly, showing off his miniature Viktor Krum. "We met Bridgette and Isabella in the Top Box. They're witches from the Academy of Fine Magic, all the way in America. Bridgette even met Viktor Krum!"

"Really?" Neville asked, his eyes getting wider.

"Yeah, but someone destroyed the autograph he gave me during the riots," Bridgette responded from behind her book.

"I met Krum and got an autograph. He's really nice guy even though he's very busy. Too bad I'll never get to see him again," Isabella sighed, taking her slip of parchment out of her pocket. Hermione snatched the parchment and read it before passing it to the others. "That little note means nothing. He and I just happen to be highly ranked Quidditch players, that's all."

Ron, who happened to have the note, started laughing somewhat loud. All of the boys were turning bright red from trying not to laugh. The door slid open and three unpleasant faces appeared. "What so funny in here, Malfoy? What brings you to us?" Harry demanded coldly. Draco looked at the parchment in Neville's hands with a disgusted sneer on his face.

"I heard Weasley talking about the Top Box. I hope you enjoyed it, since it was you first and last time there," Malfoy snapped. Bridgette glared at him over her book with icy blue eyes. "Well, if I remember correctly, you're all in Gryffindor, except Isabella and Bridgette. They're in the same house as me, Crabbe and Goyle. I'll bet you didn't know that your new friends are Slytherins. It's good to see Dumbledore only allowed purebloods to join school. Hogwarts would be better if it didn't have any filthy Mudbloods."

Bridgette didn't want to hear anymore. She threw her book down, took out her wand and stood up. Normally she was reserved, but Malfoy had crossed the line. "The only people who use such a foul word are the only true Mudbloods. You have dirty blood which mars our world. If I ever hear you say 'Mudblood' again, I'll show you why I'm the top witch in America," Bridgette warned, tucking her wand away after giving Malfoy a hard jab in the chest with it.

"Rest assured my father will hear about this," Malfoy swore.

"Malfoy, if we're getting our fathers involved, let's remember that my father is the Minister of Magic. You'd better leave us alone now. Don't forget that not all purebloods are jerks like you," Isabella, reaching for her wand. Sensing defeat, Malfoy and his two goons retreated back to their compartment. "Why did we have to be placed in Slytherin? Is everyone in that house like that?"

"Pretty much. They're all purebloods, but you two are nice. You can hang out with us any time," Ron said, handing the parchment back to Isabella. She was a little uncomfortable since she lied about her house. Merlin attempted to flap his wings but the cage wouldn't let him. He pawed at the lock, trying to free himself. Isabella figured it wouldn't hurt anyone if her dragon was let out for a few minutes. Seamus and Dean were very impressed with Merlin. Students were allowed to have an owl, toad or a cat but nobody had ever brought a dragon before.

The ride to Hogwarts seemed to take forever. While waiting for the train to stop, Hermione and Harry talked about events that happened at Hogwarts, like the Sorcerer's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets. "Has anything exciting ever happened at your old school?" Ron asked, adjusting his dress robes over Pig's cage. Merlin was sleeping in his cage with his tail hanging out. Bridgette had only one story from the Academy of Fine Magic. She'd discovered a hidden room that contained several old spell books and one book that held a diary. The diary was frightening since it was written by a boy who predicted a catastrophic event. He said the school would be destroyed by a fire. "So, what happened?"

"It was written fifty years ago, the same time as the Chamber of Secrets first opened. Two years ago, our school burned down and only seven people survived," Bridgette replied with a trembling voice. "All our friends died along with most of our teachers. Headmistress Fir made it out, along with three students, Professor Kaiser and a house elf."

"That's horrible!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Did you find out who did it?" Ron asked.

"Can we please not talk about the fire?" Isabella asked sharply. For a few minutes, the only sound was the pouring rain. Isabella knew her voice was shrill, but she hated talking about the incident. She had learned several horrible things that day. That was when she heard that Voldemort's Death Eaters were the ones that caused the fire. It was also the day Isabella lost her little sister. Her name was Emily Scott and she was only a second year when she died.

Bridgette quickly explained what had happened with Isabella's little sister. Ron thought of Ginny, who had almost died when Voldemort had possessed her mind and left her in the Chamber of Secrets. Silence filled the compartment once again. A few minutes later, they all changed into their robes and waited. The train finally slowed to a stop near a large lake. "That's Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher," Harry said, pointing out his window to a very tall man. He was wearing a hideous hairy, brown suit that almost matched his bushy beard. Isabella sighed heavily. She had to strike a deal with Dumbledore in order for Merlin to come. The dragon had to live with the Care of Magical Creatures teacher.

First years were supposed to ride in small boats to the castle, but everyone else got a ride in horseless carriages. Isabella and Bridgette managed to get a carriage by themselves. "Well Bella, we're about to embark on one hell of an adventure. We're far away from our parents, with a new school to wreak havoc on. This is going to be the best year ever," Bridgette commented.

"I couldn't have said it better, Bridge," Isabella agreed.


	5. A New Twist on an Old Contest

While riding to the castle, the rain came down even harder and the wind almost knocked over several carriages. The lightening crashes temporarily lit up the sky, showing a silhouette of Hogwarts. Several windows had an orange light flickering. Isabella thought of the Academy of Fine Magic, which had been hidden in an old warehouse. Headmistress Fir had placed several charms on the building, so Muggles never destroyed it. The carriage stopped in front of great oak doors. Bridgette and Isabella dashed up the front steps, both girls holding their robes over their heads. The entrance hall had gorgeous marble staircase. "Our old school has nothing on Hogwarts," Bridgette muttered.

They hurried to join Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were trying to dry off. "The lake is going to overflow if this rain doesn't let up," Ron griped, shaking water from his hair. "I'm still trying to figure out what all the secrets are all about. What is going - HEY?"

A red balloon burst over Ron's head, drenching him once more. "PEEVES!" a professor shouted, slipping and sliding across the slick floor. The ghost floating overhead cackled as he threw a yellow balloon at Isabella. Bridgette whipped out her wand and used a Levitation Spell to stop the balloon. "That's a very impressive spell, young lady. Do you know the spell that affects ghosts and poltergeists?"

"Professor McGonagall, there aren't any spells that can affect a ghost or poltergeist," Hermione objected.

"Watch and learn, fourth year," Bridgette said. She pointed her wand directly at Peeves. "There's a reason I'm ranked as America's smartest witch. Skurge!"

Peeves was hit and he disappeared through the ceiling. Professor McGonagall seemed very impressed with Bridgette's knowledge of defense spells. Hermione didn't look too happy. All of the sopping students were sent in the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. There were four long tables packed with students and every table seated a different house. Isabella spotted Malfoy, so she pulled Bridgette towards their table. "Mind if we sit here?" Isabella asked taking a seat by Malfoy, thinking he might act civilized.

"Sure, by the way this is Crabbe and Goyle. Guys, meet Isabella Scott and Bridgette Welch. They're from the Academy of Fine Magic in America," said Malfoy. Several other Slytherins recognized their names but didn't ask for an autograph, like most people did. There was an air of mutual respect at the table. Some students at the other tables were staring at the two new girls. Isabella pretended to be fascinated with the gold plates and goblets in front of her. There were hundreds and hundreds of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky, complete with occasional flashes of lightening.

A few ghosts were wandering around. There was Nearly Headless Nick, whose head hadn't been entirely decapitated, Peeves, a poltergeist who raised hell and the Bloody Baron, Slytherin's resident ghost. A boy named Warrington introduced himself to Isabella. He was a big guy for his age, but he was very kind. "I don't mean to pry but you are a terrific Quidditch player. What brings you to Hogwarts?" Warrington asked.

"My school burned down and my mother went to school here, so it only seemed natural that I came here. Judging from the people in my house, I think I'm going to love it here," Isabella replied, forgetting her former impressions of Slytherins, as a group of drenched and frightened first years entered the Great Hall. She looked past the young students to a table up front where the professors sat. Malfoy pointed to each professor and explained who each one was. Professor Sinistra was the head of the Astronomy department and Professor Sprout, with her bushy, gray hair sticking out from under her hat, taught Herbology.

There was also a tiny person sitting on a big pile of cushions. "That's Professor Flitwick, he teaches Charms. Over there is the Potions master and head of our house, Professor Snape," Draco said, pointing to the other side of Professor Sinistra. Isabella and Bridgette turned their attention towards the wizard wearing all black. Professor Snape was sallow skinned, hook-nosed and his hair looked greasy. There was an empty seat reserved for Professor McGonagall.

In the middle of the staff table sat the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He was the reason Isabella and Bridgette were back in school. The candlelight made his silver hair and beard gleam. His robes were dark green with moons and stars embroidered on it. Dumbledore stared at the ceiling, as though he was fascinated with it for some strange reason. There was nothing to look at other than the purple and black clouds. Every time lightening flashed outside, a bolt of lightening dashed across the ceiling. "How long is this Sorting Ceremony supposed to last? I'm so hungry I could eat a full grown dragon," Isabella groaned.

"All the first years have to be placed in their house, and then we can eat. I hope we get loads of new Slytherins," Warrington said, eagerly rubbing his hands together. The doors to the Great Hall opened and everyone fell completely silent. Professor McGonagall came in, followed by many terrified first years. The young ones were soaked, like they'd had to swim across the lake. There was one small girl who looked like she wanted to run away. "Get on with it. We're starving over here."

Professor McGonagall placed a three legged stool in front of the first years and held up an old hat. Bridgette remembered when she had to sit under that hat. "You're very smart and dedicated, meaning you have ambition. Slytherin would be great but clever witches like you go in Ravenclaw. Then again, you seem to be perfect for Hufflepuff. You are a candidate for Gryffindor as well. This may take a minute," the hat said. Bridgette sat silently for almost fifteen minutes while Sorting Hat thought. Isabella had already been placed in Slytherin. "I've made my decision! She shall be a Slytherin!"

"Stewart Ackerly!" Bridgette watched as a small boy had the Sorting Hat placed on his head. He sat on the stool, nervously waiting to hear what house he'd be in.

"Ravenclaw!" the hat announced. Isabella glanced at her friends in Gryffindor. Harry seemed to be staring at a girl sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Suddenly, Isabella wanted to be a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin.

"Malcolm Baddock!"

"Slytherin!"

Bridgette clapped for Malcolm Baddock as he joined the table. She wasn't excited about the whole ceremony. It seemed repetitive and only two people had been sorted. Everyone else at the table was cheering excitedly for the newest member in the house. Fred and George hissed to show their disapproval. Briefly, Bridgette caught George's glance. He smiled at her and waved. She blushed, hoping none of the other Slytherins could see her face.

"Owen Cauldwell!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Dennis Creevey!"

"Gryffindor!"

Across the Hall, Isabella saw Harry shaking his head when Dennis Creevey became a Gryffindor. A boy who looked like an older version of the boy who'd just been sorted pointed at Harry. There were two Creeveys now instead of one. The Sorting dragged on. Each terrified first year was placed in the appropriate house. "We didn't make such a big deal about the Sorting at the Academy," Bridgette muttered, resting her chin in her hand.

"That's because we didn't have different houses there. Headmistress Fir believed in cooperation between all witches and wizards so she randomly placed us in rooms with other students," Isabella sighed, desperately trying to stay awake. The hat announced that Orla Quirke became a Ravenclaw. "At least we get to eat soon. They wouldn't starve us, would they?"

Kevin Whitby was placed in Hufflepuff and the Sorting ceremony finally ended. Food magically appeared on the golden plates. "This is the best part of the ceremony," Warrington commented through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Isabella raised her goblet of pumpkin juice in agreement. The cauldron cakes from earlier hadn't really filled her up. She couldn't wait to eat her steak. Bridgette decided to use her proper manners and not speak with her mouth full. "So, Isabella, what do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

Before she could answer, a ghost popped his head through the table. Bridgette dropped her utensils and gasped in surprise. "Don't worry about him. That's the Bloody Baron, he doesn't say much," Draco explained as the ghost made his way further down the table to scare some first years. "Surely you had ghosts at the Academy."

"We did, but the ghosts usually spent their time in the kitchens, terrorizing the house-elves. Speaking of house-elves, I wonder what happened to Nellie," Bridgette said. Nellie was a house-elf that once belonged to the Scott family. She was treated like a part of the family but was always sad. Patrick discovered that Nellie missed being with other house-elves so he released her to the Academy. "She's the only one who escaped the fire. I hope she found another job."

When dinner was done, all the leftovers disappeared and several puddings appeared. Malfoy pointed to each pudding, naming each one. Isabella wasn't sure she wanted to try a treacle tart or anything else. "Isn't there any plain chocolate or vanilla pudding?" she asked. Warrington handed her one of his desserts. "Am I supposed to eat this?"

"Yes. Since you're going to be here for a long time you'd better get used to things. You're not in America anymore," Warrington replied. That shut Isabella up. Most people never put her in her place because she was a semi-celebrity. Bridgette was the only one who could be so rude to Isabella and not get slapped. Warrington placed a spoon in Isabella's hand. In order to avoid more hostile behavior, she took a big bite of the treacle tart. It wasn't half bad but chocolate would have been better. "You see, we can settle on a compromise. It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Isabella decided to stay silent and finish the rest of the treacle tart. She should have been mad at Warrington but she wasn't. Rather, she found his assertiveness oddly intriguing. Bridgette picked up another treacle tart and a spoon. She decided to eat it since Warrington was giving her strange looks. "Hey, this is pretty good," Bridgette said, trying not to let bits of the tart fly out of her mouth. "Too bad I'm stuffed. I can't finish this."

The few remaining crumbs disappeared, leaving the golden plates sparkling clean. Dumbledore stood up making the entire Hall silent. "As many of you know, this is when I announce the rules. Mr. Filch's list of forbidden objects has gotten longer. Fanged Frisbees and Ever-bashing Boomerangs are on the list. For those of you interested in viewing all items on the list it is in Mr. Filch's office," he announced.

"We'd better check it out, just to make sure our Belchin' Chocolates aren't on there," Isabella whispered. Bridgette nodded before Dumbledore began to speak again.

"As always, the Dark Forest is off limits to all students. Hogsmeade is considered out of bounds for first and second years, as well as those who do not have permission. On a sadder note, I must tell you that there will be no Inter-House Quidditch Cup this year."

The Great Hall fell silent again. The students who played Quidditch were stunned. Across the Hall, Harry, Fred and George were in shock. Isabella was also appalled. That was the one thing she'd been looking forward to and not it was gone. Even Bridgette couldn't believe her ears. How could Quidditch get cancelled? "Hogwarts has the pleasure of partaking in a special event, one that hasn't taken place in a century. This year, the…"

Dumbledore was cut off, by thunder and the sound of the doors being thrown open. All eyes shifted to see who was coming in late. A man with a black cloak stood in the doorway. He had a cane to lean on. Lightening flashed across the ceiling, showing he had tangled iron gray hair. Everyone held their breath as he began to walk towards the teachers table. A hollow clunk could be heard with every other step he took. Minutes later, he sat down, right as more lightening crashed. Everyone let their breath out in a gasp.

His face had deep grooves running down it, like he was wearing a badly carved wooden mask. Since it didn't appear to be a mask, Isabella prayed those grooves were scars. There wasn't much of a nose and the mouth looked like a thin diagonal line. All of that was creepy but his eyes were more frightening. One eye looked normal. The other one was about the size of a Muggle half-dollar and bright blue. It never stopped moving, like it was looking for something. Briefly, the eye landed on Bridgette. She felt a chill in the air before realizing the eye was staring at her. "I hope he's not one of our professors," she said as Dumbledore approached the man.

They shook hands and spoke quietly for a few minutes. The man picked up a plate of sausages, holding it under his nose. His weird eye rolled back in his head, showing only the whites. He stabbed a sausage with a knife from his pocket. "Students, I'm pleased to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastor Moody!" Dumbledore announced. Normally students would applaud but only the headmaster clapped. Everyone else stayed completely silent.

"I have a feeling that we're in for a long year," Bridgette muttered.

"Moving on, a very special event will be taking place here at Hogwarts. We will be hosting a competition that hasn't been held in over a century. This year, the Triwizard Tournament will be held at Hogwarts," Dumbledore announced. Isabella was more interested in Moody, who had put his leg on the table. It was made out of wood, ending in a clawed foot. He also seemed familiar for some reason. Bridgette had read about the Triwizard Tournament once before but never knew why it stopped.

"Yes, well, the Tournament was established about seven hundred years ago to promote friendly competition the three largest schools for magic in Europe: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. One champion will be selected from each school, and they will compete in three magical tasks. This is a chance for us to establish ties with witches and wizards of different cultures. That reminds me of a change in the Tournament. For the first time ever, a fourth school will be competing.

"The headmistress of a school in America will bring a few students to Hogwarts. Actually, I received an owl from her and she only has three students who will be eligible. Well, back to the Tournament. We've been trying to reinstate the competition for quite some time. The death toll was so high that it had to be discontinued."

An excited buzz rose throughout the Great Hall. Some people were intrigued by the competition but everyone else was concerned with the death toll. Bridgette was more curious about the American school Dumbledore had mentioned. It had to be the Academy of Fine Magic he spoke of. No other school had only three eligible students.

Dumbledore cleared his throat before continuing, "Despite the gruesome history, the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports has decided to let us try this competition again. Several wizards and witches worked together over the summer, including the American Minister of Magic and several American representatives. At this time, I can safely say that no champion will ever be in mortal danger. The heads of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and the Academy of Fine Magic will arrive in October, along with their selected students.

"The champions from the four schools will be chosen on Halloween. I will not tell you who chooses which student to be a champion. This outside judge will make sure that the selected student is physically, emotionally and mentally prepared to take on the three tasks. Keep in mind that each task will be more difficult than the last. The prize for winning the Triwizard Tournament is the Triwizard Cup, glory for their school and one thousand Galleons."

Isabella glanced at Bridgette, who had a look of utter disbelief on her face. "Headmistress Fir wants us to enter the Triwizard Tournament! She thinks you and I can win. We have to win, well, one of us has to win," Bridgette said. Malfoy and Warrington looked at Isabella, who was deep in thought. There had to be a catch. A first-year was definitely not emotionally ready to compete in such a big tournament, nor was a second year.

"I have some bad news for most of you. The Ministry of Magic has set an age restriction for those who wish to compete. If you wish to try your hand at the Tournament, you must be seventeen years old or older. We feel this is necessary because the tasks are difficult and sometimes dangerous and students younger than seventeen are not quite ready to deal with them yet. For those of you who are planning to enter anyway," Dumbledore's eyes drifted over to Fred and George who looked very cross, "I will be personally making sure that you do not trick our outside judge, so save your time by not entering at all."

"Now, we do have classes in the morning and it is getting late. All of you get to bed!" Dumbledore shouted. The benches scraped against the floor as the students stood up to leave. Malfoy muttered something about the Tournament being unfair for the younger students and about "his father." Warrington held out his arm so Isabella linked arms with him. She didn't know where she was going, so her Slytherin friends had to guide her and Bridgette. Much to their surprise, the Slytherin house was a part of the dungeons. The common room had green leather furniture and it seemed unfriendly. Bridgette felt horribly out of place when she heard the password was "pureblood."

Warrington pointed to where the girl's dormitories were, explaining that boys weren't allowed in that area. Bridgette and Isabella had to share a dorm with three other girls: Mildred Waterston, Bianca Stevens and Raven Moore. "I didn't know we got to room with the new girls. Welcome to Slytherin," Bianca said, shaking hands with her new room mates. Raven and Mildred explained a few rules that had been established years earlier. There was one rule in particular that could never be broken. Any and all secrets spoken could not leave the room. If someone slipped up, she was forced to admit one of her secrets. It all seemed pretty fair. "First things first, I heard you two met Viktor Krum at the Quidditch World Cup. Is it true?"

"Yeah, we met him. It was a reward from the Ministry of Magic because of our achievements. I scored the highest marks in history on the O.W. L exams," Bridgette announced, a hint of pride in her voice.

"What was your achievement, Isabella?" Mildred asked.

"Nothing special, I'm the highest ranked Quidditch player and Beater in America. I've been number one for three years in a row. Really it's no big deal," Isabella replied quickly. She hadn't been entirely honest. Not only was she the best Beater in America, she was the only girl who'd been recognized at the age of twelve. People looked up to her because she had a Nimbus Two Thousand and refused to upgrade. Truthfully, Isabella hated being a celebrity. She wanted to be a normal sixteen year old girl in school, rather than a famous Quidditch player.

All five girls changed into their nightclothes and crawled into bed. They would have to get up early in order to get to breakfast so they could compare their class schedules. Bianca warned Bridgette and Isabella about Divination, which both girls had signed up for. "Professor Trelawney is a bit eccentric, if you understand what I mean. If she predicts your death, don't get excited. She swears someone will die nearly every day," Bianca said.

"She sounds like a hoot. I think I'll have fun in her class," Isabella sighed, staring at the ceiling. She was nervous about starting class, but her new friends were already making her feel right at home. Bridgette even felt comfortable, despite her being Muggle-born. "I can't wait for Headmistress Fir to arrive. There's so much I want to tell her."


End file.
